


Domesticity

by Silas_Writes



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Domestic, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Chest Feeding, Children, Explicit Sexual Content, Getting Together, M/M, Manipulation, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Nesting, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Pack Dynamics, Panic Attacks, Past Relationship(s), Scenting, Slow Burn, Trans Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-04-22 20:33:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14316636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silas_Writes/pseuds/Silas_Writes
Summary: A year after leaving a failed relationship, Lance finds himself alone and without a pack once more.Well...Not exactly alone.





	1. Past Heat

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thanks to my lovely beta, @spincygenou (on here and on tumblr)! She's the absolute best. ♡
> 
> My Tumblr: @shippingvoltron

Heavy panting filled the stale air of the apartment. Teeth dug into the soft skin of his lower lip as fingers curled into his tight warmth. A high, desperate keen slid past those teeth as a bead of sweat slid down the back of his neck. It just wasn’t enough--it seemed like nothing he did would be enough to quell the roaring inferno that was his body.

A few knocks sounding on the door had the hair raising instinctively at the back of the omega’s neck. Disturbing someone during their heat was frowned upon though in some cases it could be excused. Lance doubted this was one of those times. He slipped his fingers out of himself, muffling his whine at the loss . Maybe if he kept quiet, it would be enough to make the unexpected visitor leave. The sound of a key sliding into the lock and turning had him tense. He sat up, looking over his shoulder to stare at the door. There was only one person he knew that could have a key to his apartment, and they had broken off their relationship just two days prior.

He _knew_ he shouldn’t have put off getting that key back.

“Lance, I’m sorry for intruding like this. Really, I am. I can smell you in here, and I just wanted to-” Lotor started, closing the door behind him, but stopped at seeing Lance on his knees by the couch in a pile of blankets and other clothes, some of which were things Lotor had left behind. The alpha swallowed thickly, finally smelling the heat in Lance’s salty sweet scent. His pupils slowly grew in size as he made his approach to the edge of the nest. “I… You… We need to… Heavens, you smell _amazing._ Wait! No!”

Lotor growled in frustration at his quickly scrambling thoughts. The omega’s scent was drowning him. His own scent began to permeate the air as he stepped closer to the nest. He attempted to resist, but his inner beast demanded he take care of his omega. The deep rumble in Lotor’s chest that followed only caused Lance to turn his head to stifle a moan, and the sharp, pine scent had Lance trembling. The alpha took another deep breath and seemed to come to a decision. He knelt down resolutely at the edge of the nest and tilted his head to expose his neck in submission. “Allow me to help you.”

The omega hesitantly looked the other over, taking in his dark skin and bleached hair. Hungry, cornflower eyes met his own. Lance chewed on his bottom lip for a moment, assessing the curling heat in his gut before nodding his consent. “Okay…”

Lotor immediately set to work disrobing before clambering into the nest, not caring if anything was moved out of place. Lance sneered at that, opening his mouth to reprimand him, but he was silenced by lips trailing searing kisses over his shoulder. A whine built up in the back of his throat at the sweet pleasure it drew as Lotor’s hands maneuvered him into pressing his chest back down into the blankets. The alpha moved his lips down Lance’s spine before his hands clasped the omega’s hips, lifting them up. His tongue pressed into Lance’s entrance to lap hungrily at sweet, addicting slick. Lance’s jaw dropped, his eyes screwing shut as he released a shuddering groan. Pleasure pooled in Lance’s core, his skin tingling where the alpha gripped his thighs to try and pull him closer. His body had been so hot - too hot - until Lotor’s touch.

“Alpha,” he breathed, soon chanting the word repeatedly as fingers slid up to join that sinful tongue.

Once he determined the omega was stretched enough, Lotor pulled away, taking his mouth and fingers with him. Lance whined needily, lifting his ass higher. Lotor smirked, sliding a hand over that lean ass and giving it a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Omega. I have you.”

Lotor leaned over Lance’s back, then, bringing his hips forward to nudge his cock against the omega’s hole. Lance whined when it didn’t fill him immediately. He turned his head to stare up at Lotor out of the corner of his eye. “What’re you waiting for?”

The alpha stared back almost thoughtfully for a moment before asking, “Are you sure about this?”

“Just do it already!” Lance scowled.

“I don’t want you to regret this.”

“Lotor, I swear to the gods of any and every religion that if you don’t put your dick in me right now, I’ll get up and leave to fi-” Lance choked, the rest of his words dying in his throat, as he was breached. He couldn’t get a sound out as Lotor proceeded to sink into him.

“You’ll do what?” Lotor leaned down to growl into his ear, his hand slipping into the sweaty curls atop the omega’s head. Lance whimpered as his head was pulled back. The alpha pulled until Lance was standing up on his knees, having to lean back into Lotor for balance.

A whine slipped past the omega’s lips as Lotor gave a short, experimental thrust of his hips. “D-don’t tease me.”

“You haven’t answered my question, Omega,” Lotor murmured.

“I-I would’ve,” Lance responded, squirming in the alpha’s hold, “sniffed out another… another alpha, and then, I-”

He was cut off by a sharp thrust and a growl. Lotor’s hand left his hair in favor of sliding down to join his other in gripping the omega’s hips. “I wouldn’t have let you. You’re _mine_.”

Lance gasped, his own hands attempting to find purchase. Still, he growled angrily at the possessive tone in the other’s voice. “I stopped being yours _months_ ago.”

Lotor’s hands slid up to shove him down onto his chest, his hips picking up a more confident, quicker pace. Lance keened at the change, fingers curling into the soft fabric of the blankets beneath him. By the sour notes in his smell alone, Lance could tell he had just royally pissed off the alpha, but Lotor needed to be set straight. This wasn’t going to magically fix everything and bring them back together. Lance resolved to talk this out after, but for now, he simply let himself sink into the heat that was laced into his very being and allowed himself get lost in it.


	2. One Year Later

Lance awoke with a start, gasping. He almost didn’t catch the soft cry echoing through the one bedroom apartment over his own heavy breathing. Lance groaned quietly into his pillow before forcing himself to sit up and turn to the crib he had placed right beside his bed. He clicked on the small lamp on the nightstand and reached into the crib. The baby boy Lance scooped into his arms was a tiny, frail thing. His cries couldn’t even grow louder than a kitten’s sneeze. Lance cooed over the baby as he stood carefully and made his way into the kitchen to fix a bottle. As he shook the bottle to mix the formula, his mind slipped into fantasizing what it would be like if the father were there. Would they take turns taking care of him in the middle of the night like Lance had grown up seeing in movies? Would Lotor dote over their child like he himself does now? Could they have saved their relationship? Maybe if he had worked just a bit harder. Reached out just a tad more often than he had tried…

He bit his lip and shook his head as soon as he caught himself. There was no use in thinking such things. Lotor wasn’t here, and that was that. He warmed the bottle in a pot of water on the stove, singing an old lullaby under his breath, the child continuing to wail with his weak voice. As soon as he finished testing the warmth of the milk against his inner wrist, he pushed the nipple into the baby’s mouth. The baby quieted as it suckled hungrily. Lance sighed softly through his nose, a fond smile settling over his face.

“All done?” he asked with a smile once the child was done eating. He placed the bottle in the sink and cradled his baby boy close to his chest as he burped him. Then, Lance carried him back into the room to lay back down. The baby, predictably, fussed at first, but as soon as Lance began singing once more, he began to quiet. Lance curled around him protectively, tired eyes staring down at the sparse, black hair that curled close to his baby’s scalp. He couldn’t help the tired smile that touched his lips as he whispered, “Te adoro, mijito.”

He couldn’t bring himself to fall back asleep for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and tumblr)


	3. Bussing Tables

Lance loved his job. He loved his boss, who was very understanding and kind. He loved the people he worked with that he's come to know; they were interesting and fun to hang out with. He even loved the customers to an extent. However, what he loved the most about his job was the uniforms. The restaurant he worked for, Castle of Lions, had top-of-the-line uniforms.

To most, these uniforms looked like any other waitressing get-up, complete with a server’s vest that matched the accompanying waist apron. What set them apart, however, were the collars, cuffs, and ties that glowed brightly. Not only did the colors indicate one’s position at the Castle of Lions--blue for the wait staff, which Lance was a part of, yellow for the kitchen staff, green for the floor directors who were also in charge of the phones, red for the bartenders, and purple for management--but they also hid powerful scent blockers in rather strategic locations. It made omegas feel safer in the workplace. If one’s dynamic couldn’t be scented, then it couldn’t be used against them.

His eyes currently tracked a purple glow shining in the dim light of the restaurant as it drew closer to where he was working. Mentally, he cursed how dark the restaurant was. It was meant to be romantic, but Lance just found it a nuisance. Hopefully, whoever it was would leave him alone. He dropped his gaze as he scrubbed a bit harder at the table he was currently cleaning up after a messy family of five. They didn’t leave a tip, but one of the kids left behind a rather adorable drawing of a lion.

“Lance.”

Lance’s head snapped up at the familiar voice, eyes meeting the man’s own. Okay. Sue him, but he had a favorite amongst the managing staff that he didn’t mind having a chat with. He offered up a brilliant smile. “Yes, sir?”

The mustachioed man laughed heartily, “Young man, how many times have I told you to just call me Coran?”

“I’m sorry. Hard habit to break.” Lance’s grin turned a bit more genuine as his eyes fell to the sleeping baby in the carrier hooked over Coran’s arm. “How’s he been?”

Coran smiled warmly, eyes glancing to the sleeping, little boy before returning to his favorite employee. “He was a right handful, but nothing Uncle Coran can’t handle.”

Lance laughed before cooing at the baby, “Look at him! You’ve worn him out.”

“I’ve worn him out?” Coran barked out a laugh himself, “Mateo’s worn himself out with his fussing.”

“Did you give him his blanket?”

Coran lifted the carrier closer to the light hanging over the table, revealing the blue blanket tucked around the baby that smelled distinctly of his parent. Lance practically melted at the sight of a tiny fist curled around the edge of it. “Coran, I really can't thank you enough for this.”

“No need. I am the best babysitter you’ll ever find. Of that, my boy, I assure you.”

Lance turned the soft smile on his face to the older man. “You didn’t have to help me out though, and I really do appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” Coran patted Lance’s shoulder with his free hand as he lowered the carrier back to his side, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Mateo and I are due to check in with the boss.”

“Tell Allura I said ‘hi’.”

“Will do!” And with that, Coran was weaving his way toward the door at the back of the restaurant that led to Allura’s office. Lance watched the door shut behind them before finishing up his task. He dumped his rag into the plastic bin that housed soapy water and dirty dishes, and then he made his way to the kitchens to drop it off by the dishwashers and check on the orders for his tables. He slipped through the swinging double doors and set the box down with a hard thud, startling the current dishwasher.

“Don’t  _ do  _ that!” The tawny haired boy frowned after he recovered.

“Oops,” Lance teased amicably,  _ “My _ bad. Sorry, Matt.”

“You don’t sound sorry.” Matt frowned, picking up the dish that had slid out of his hand and into the sink. “It still busy out there?”

“Not really.” Lance shrugged. With a glance toward one of the clocks up on the wall, he found that it was actually close to closing. “Oh, wow. It’s almost ten already? Time flies.”

“Yeah, it does. You still up for meeting my pack?”

“If you don’t mind swinging by my place to refill the diaper bag.”

“Don’t mind at all.” Matt grinned over at him. “I promise. You’re going to love them.”

“I only said I’d meet them. Don’t make this a bigger deal than it is, Matt. I’ve sworn off of packs. You and Hunk can’t convince me to actually join.”

“We’ll see!” Hunk shouted from where he was stationed at the grill causing Lance to release a loud laugh.

“I’ll meet you guys out front after work,” Lance rolled his eyes, a smile still on his face, before grabbing a tray and stacking it with plates of food and slipping back out into the dining area. He put on his best customer service smile despite the nervous butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and on tumblr)


	4. The Pack

The house Matt’s car pulled up to was far from shabby. It was quite unlike the building Lance’s apartment was apart of in that all of its windows were in tact and the outside was in tip-top shape. The bricks weren’t crumbling from the sides of the building. The hedges and flowerbeds were trimmed and budding nicely. Overall, it had a very clean look to it. All it needed was a white picket fence, and it’d look like it had hopped right out of a magazine. Lance chewed on his lower lip nervously as they parked. Hunk twisted around in the passenger seat to level Lance with an encouraging smile, “Relax, man. Our pack’s full of really nice people.”

“Whose house is this?” Lance asked.

“Pack alpha’s,” Matt answered simply. Lance unbuckled and began to unstrap the baby’s car seat next to him.

“Shiro. Our pack alpha’s name is Shiro,” Allura piped up from the other side of the car seat, manicured nails clicking against her phone screen as she typed, “I just texted them that we arrived, so they should be ready for us.”

Lance missed his uniform. He missed the scent blocking pads  _ in  _ the uniform really. He was probably suffocating everyone in the car with his anxiety-enriched scent. Allura chose that moment to reach a hand over the baby and squeeze Lance’s shoulder, her scent automatically releasing a calming agent. “Relax, Lance. It’ll be alright.”

The agent worked wonders. The tensed muscles in Lance’s shoulders relaxed as he breathed in her scent--floral with a mix of freshly overturned dirt. “Okay… Yeah, I’ll be okay. I’m sorry about freaking out. It’s just… It’s been awhile.”

“They’ll love you,” Allura soothed, patting his shoulder before opening her car door, “and they’ll love Mateo, too.”

Lance finished unstrapping the baby carrier and opened the car door, carefully maneuvering the carrier out and over his arm. He grabbed the diaper bag--which was just an old backpack Lance had from college--and shouldered it before peeking at the baby. Mateo blinked up at him with his blue eyes and gurgled, a spit bubble appearing at his lips before popping. Lance faux frowned at the baby and chided playfully, “Now now! Don’t do that. That’s icky~!”

The baby merely smiled at the sound of his father’s voice, letting out a small shriek. Lance chuckled as he closed the car door and turned to follow the other three that had already started walking towards the porch. His anxiety made itself known as a rumble of nerves danced across his stomach though it wasn’t as bad as it had been in the car. He swiped his tongue over his lower lip as he stepped onto the porch with the others. Hunk glanced towards him and gave him a warm smile before turning back to the door and ringing the doorbell.

The door was yanked open a few seconds later. Lance recognized the shorter girl that stood in the doorway as Katie, Matt’s younger sister who also worked with them as a floor director. His brow furrowed as he started to wonder if everyone in this pack happened to have a job there. A snap of fingers shook him from the thought. He blinked down at Katie before noticing he was now the only one on the porch. An awkward laugh slipped its way from his throat before he shuffled inside, careful not to smack the carrier into the door frame. Katie stopped him after she shut the door and tilted her head to look the baby over. “I didn’t know you had a kid.”

“Ha, yeah. Lots of people don’t expect it,” he widened his grin, slipping into a more confident persona, “Can’t blame them with how well I take care of the goods.”

He gestured to himself with his free hand, winking at her. She scoffed, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, before turning and walking down the small hallway. Lance followed, glancing at the pictures on the walls as he passed. A lot of them had Allura and some of the coworkers he’d taken a liking to. They looked...fun. Carefree even. It was a major difference from his last pack.

“...s Lance.” Lance snapped to attention at Matt speaking his name. A group of people, familiar and unknown, stared back at him. They were laid over the couch and the floor. Pillows and blankets were everywhere, but they were obviously meticulously placed for maximum comfort.  _ Oh, man! When was the last time he had been around a proper nest?  _

He swallowed before grinning brightly, his smile a tad tight, and gave a short wave. “Hey.”

Everyone in the pack uttered some form of hello back before a man from the back of the room stood. The pack before him hushed as he rounded the couch to approach the newcomer. Lance swore every hair on him was standing on end. This had to be their pack’s alpha. The most dominant. How many other alphas did he face to gain his position? Judging by the scars that Lance could see littered over his skin, Shiro had faced quite a few challengers. 

The alpha stopped before him, expression neutral but not unkind. His grey eyes glanced momentarily to the baby carrier before meeting Lance’s blue orbs. His brow furrowed before he chuffed quietly. Lance’s own brows knitted in confusion, but the tension in his shoulders lessened at the comforting sound. Shiro smiled then, his face relaxing from its studious stare. He held out his hand-- _ a robotic hand attached to a robotic arm Lance noted _ \--and said, “It’s nice to meet you, Lance. The name’s Takashi Shirogane, but you can just call me Shiro.”

Lance’s eyes drifted from his prosthetic to his face and back for a brief moment before he slid his hand in the other’s and gave it a firm shake. “It’s nice to meet you as well. Seems you have a great pack here.”

Shiro beamed at the small compliment. “Sure do. There’s always room for more.”

Shiro’s hand dropped Lance’s, and the omega found he had kind of liked the way the cool metal felt against his skin. “Um… I’m sure, but as I’m sure  _ Matt _ must’ve told you, I’m not really interested in joining a pack.”

“Is that so?” Shiro appeared honestly curious. “Well, alright.”

Lance balked. “Alright?”

“It’s your choice. If you don’t want to join a pack, no one here will force you to.”

“Oh…” Well, that wasn’t what the omega expected at all.

“Besides, nothing wrong with just hanging out and making some new friends, right?”

“Um.” A smile edged its way onto Lance’s face. “Yeah. Nothing wrong with that.”

Shiro’s smile grew and he backed away. With a small, content nod, he turned and moved to flop back onto his spot at the back of the room. As soon as he was back down, the other pack members seemed to spring to life. In minutes, Lance found himself seated amongst the blankets and pillows with the others. His cheeks heated at the attention, but he welcomed it. Some of the members even crowded in to coo over Mateo. Lance felt himself puff up with a small amount of pride. His son was the light and joy of his life. It was only right that he have people fawn over him. 

Time seemed to slip away after that. It only felt like an hour at most, but when he looked up from a conversation he was listening to between Hunk and Katie, he noticed that many of the pack members had left. Matt whined from his spot on the couch, “Shiiiiiro! Let us stay the night!”

Lance gaped at that.  _ “Ma-“ _

“Sure,” answered the leader’s voice. Lance’s eyes snapped to the alpha. Shiro was busy cleaning up in the kitchen where food had been set out for everyone.

Katie stood and smacked her brother over the back of his head.

“Ow! Katie!”

“Lance has a  _ baby _ .  _ Babies _ need things, genius. Shiro doesn’t have baby supplies. Someone’s going to have to take him home, and  _ you’re  _ the one that drove him here.”

Matt pouted and looked ready to resign to his fate of getting up when Shiro spoke up once more. “I can drive him home.”

Lance was sure he was going to end up with flies in his mouth at this rate. “What?”

Shiro fixed his stare on him. “I said I’d drive you. Is that okay?”

“It’s...fine.”

“That’s settled then. Go ahead and get some sleep, Matt.”

_ “Thank you!”  _ Matt sighed blissfully before snuggling back into his spot in the nest. 

Lance ducked his head down and started to pack up the baby’s things. Being driven home by an alpha he barely knows... What would his mama think?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and on tumblr)


	5. The Drive

Sitting in the cramped back seat of Shiro’s pickup was...awkward to say the least. Mateo was asleep, so there was nothing to distract Lance from the alpha’s strong, just-this-side-of-pleasantly-bitter scent. It reminded him of freshly brewed coffee, and he had a mild urge to try to drink it in. He gnawed on his lower lip, wanting to fill the silence but not able to find the right words to say. Shiro drove in silence, his elbow resting out the open window while the wrist of his opposite arm casually hung over the steering wheel. Lance couldn’t help sneaking a few peeks at him from his spot behind the front passenger seat. He had to admit it to himself. The alpha was rather handsome in a rugged sort of way. Where Lotor had been all smooth, unblemished skin, Shiro was scarred and muscled, and Lance was sure his flesh hand was calloused and rough. Lance found himself wondering what it’d feel like to run his hand over his skin.

“So,” Shiro suddenly spoke, hesitance laced in his tone, “You work at the Castle of Lions?”

“Yeah.” Lance replied quickly. He could scream with how relieved he was for the silence to finally be broken.

“How long?”

“About six months.” Lance saw Shiro’s brows raise in surprise through the rearview mirror.

“Really? And they only just brought you over?”

“I didn’t exactly make it easy, Mr. Shirogane.”

Shiro grinned with a slight roll of his eyes.  _ “Please!  _ Mr. Shirogane was my father. I told you to call me Shiro.”

Lance averted his gaze from the mirror. “Sorry. My last pack was pretty old fashioned.”

_ “That _ explains it.”

“Explains what?”

“The way you reacted when I came up to you. You looked like you were ready to leap out the nearest window,” Shiro answered, “Honestly, I almost expected you to. I didn’t overstep any bounds calming you down, did I? I swear I won’t do it ag-”

“No!” Lance cut him off, sitting up straighter in his seat and actually leaning forward towards the front. “It was fine! Really! It helped a lot! I-” --He took a moment to pause with a deep breath.-- “…I didn’t mind. Actually,  _ thank  _ you for that. I needed it.”

Shiro heaved out a huge sigh of relief. “Oh, thank god. Allura got on me about it after I introduced myself.”

“What? Allura... _ reprimanded _ you?”

“Uh, yeah?” Shiro met Lance’s blue eyes in the mirror, his brow scrunched up in confusion.

“But… you’re the pack alpha?”

Shiro’s brows lifted once again. “Oh, hell. You weren’t kidding when you said your last pack was old-fashioned.” He laughed shortly before continuing, “I encourage my pack to speak out if I--or anyone else, for that matter--does something wrong or makes them feel uncomfortable. I want them to feel safe in my presence and in my home. They chose me as their alpha. It’s the least I can do to make sure they’re comfortable.”

“They chose you…?” Lance whispered, withdrawing into himself as he sank back into his seat. “The alphas in my old pack would fight each other to be in charge.”

The alpha’s brows drew together once more, his hand sliding back to grip the steering wheel. “That must’ve been...intense.”

Lance hummed in agreement, eyes turning to the window at his side. Shiro shifted in his seat, not knowing what to say; he decided to change the subject. “So… a baby. How old?”

“Four months.”

“Young. Your mate lets you bring him out this late?”

Lance’s head whipped around to gape at him. “My what?”

Shiro’s eyes darted from him to the road, confusion etched into his face. “Your mate?”

“I don’t have a mate.” The words were like dirt in Lance’s mouth. Bland yet still somehow revolting to swallow.

“I-I thought I saw- On your neck- I-I’m sorry,” Shiro stammered as realization dawned on him, eyes wide with horror. “I di-didn’t know.”

Lance curled his legs up to his chest, shaking his head. “There’s no way you could’ve known. Look. Don’t worry about it. Can we just...drop it?”

“Right. Okay. Dropping it.” Shiro mumbled before quieting. 

Lance lifted a hand and clasped the spot just behind his right shoulder, close to his neck, feeling the faint, scarred ridges raised over his scent gland beneath his fingertips. The bond had long been broken, but when he focused on it, as he did now, he could sometimes feel the faint traces of Lotor, wherever he was out there. His throat felt tight as he dropped his hand from the spot, turning his face away to stare unseeing out of the window. However, soft hiccups had him turning back around a couple of minutes later. He reached his hand into the carrier to smooth his thumb over Mateo’s cheek. “Shh… It’s alright. I’m here.”

When that didn’t work, Lance unbuckled the child and cradled him close to his chest. After dropping a kiss to Mateo’s forehead, he began to sing under his breath, knowing it was a sure way to calm the baby down. He almost didn’t notice the soft look from the alpha in the front seat, but he managed to catch the tail end of a gentle smile on Shiro’s face. Now knowing that his singing wasn’t a bother to the other, Lance’s voice grew just a tad louder, now more of a whisper than the almost inaudible murmur it had been. 

The rest of the drive was spent that way, Lance singing softly and occasionally giving Shiro directions while the alpha kept quiet and just listened. The peace it created came to an end when the truck parked outside of Lance’s building. Lance returned Mateo to the carrier before unbuckling the seat belt. Shiro hopped out and walked around to open the door for them. Lance smiled and thanked him as he slid out, shouldering the diaper bag before sliding the carrier closer to himself to pick it up properly, but Shiro stopped him.

“Let me.” Shiro picked up the carrier with all the care in the world. 

Lance stared, dumbfounded, before sucking in a unsteady breath. “N-no! I can carry him up.”

“Lance,” Shiro said gently, “Please, let me do this for you. I messed up with what I said earlier, and I’d like to apologize in any way that I can.”

“I already said that it was okay and-”

“But it wasn’t okay. I made you upset. I’m sorry, Lance. Really.”

Lance studied the other, blue eyes taking in the earnest expression on Shiro’s face. After a moment, he released a tense sigh. “Okay. I’ll let you carry him but _ just this once _ and  _ only  _ because I’m really tired.”

The smile that lit up Shiro’s face in response could’ve blinded him. He felt his face heat up just a tiny bit, but he quickly turned away and shut the truck door--maybe a bit harder than he had meant to--before leading Shiro up to his apartment. The alpha followed behind without skipping a beat, taking special care not to bump into anything along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and on tumblr)


	6. Popping In

After that night, Lance started receiving more visitors than he usually did. Before, he could expect Hunk or Matt to drop by to hang out; now, other members of Shiro’s pack would stop by unexpectedly as well. With the exception of Allura and Katie, most of the people that came over tended to be either betas or omegas. The omegas tended to bring some sort of gift when they visited, and they only stayed for a small chat or curled up on the couch near him. It didn’t bother him so much as confuse the ever living shit out of him. If he wasn’t a part of their pack, why were they even bothering?

A long, suffering sigh slid past his lips as knocking sounded at his door. With his baby cradled in his arms, he approached the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s me! Your friendly neighborhood doormat!” Matt’s voice called from the other side.

Lance huffed out a laugh and opened the door to allow the other omega inside. He cocked his hip to the side as he rose a brow at Matt. “You’re the third one to show up at my door this morning.”

Matt rose a brow back, concern on his face. “It’s nine?”

“Yeah, I know.” Lance turned away, making his way back to his worn, floral-patterned couch. He sat down, curling his baby against his chest. 

Matt followed, plopping down beside him. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Just… confused.” Lance murmured, blue eyes flicking to him. “Your pack’s weird.”

“Weird?”

“They just keep coming over and bringing- I don’t even know! Presents?” Lance frowned, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not even  _ in _ your pack, Matt. I feel bad accepting the stuff they give me.”

“Stuff? What kind of stuff are they...giving you?”

“Blankets. Baby stuff.” Lance shrugged, teeth biting into his lower lip again. “I got diapers from Flo this morning.”

_ “Oh,”  _ Matt muttered.

“Oh?”

“I’ll, uh… I’ll talk to Shiro about it, and he’ll get them to stop.”

Lance tilted his head back against the couch, lips pursing into a pout. “I feel like you know what’s going on, and you’re not wanting to tell me.”

Matt frowned, averting his gaze. “Our pack...doesn’t have a leading omega.”

“And…?” Lance lifted his head, brows furrowing as his mouth twisted in confusion.

The omega beside him took a deep breath, and then the words rushed out of his mouth, “Someofthepackreallywantyoutobeanoption,andthismightbetheirwayofgettingyoutojoin?”

Blue eyes stared at him blankly, the confusion having wiped off his face to be replaced by shock. “They… want me to...?”

“Yeah…”

_ “WHAT?!”  _ Lance shrieked. Mateo, having been startled by the yell, began to cry. Lance rushed to right his error, cooing and rocking the baby. “Oh, no. Ah, geez… I’m sorry, mijito. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Like I said, no worries! I’ll get Shiro to straighten this out for you.”

“What kind of pack doesn’t have an omega picked out anyway?” Lance huffed as he continued comforting his child.

“The kind where all the omegas of the pack don’t want the responsibility?”

“And they think  _ I  _ do?”

“Take it as a compliment!” Matt stood up, pacing back and forth in front of the couch. “They think you’re qualified. That you’d be good at it.”

“They don’t even  _ know  _ me!”

Matt paused and sighed heavily before offering him a small smile. “I know… but I- Lance, for what it’s worth, I know you. They’d be right to think you’d make a great pack omega. However, you’ve made it clear that you want nothing to do with packs, so I’ll get this fixed for you.”

Lance could only stare at him, mouth hanging open. Matt laughed softly. “I’m gonna start calling you fly trap if you keep that up. Anyway, I’m going to go talk to Shiro. I’ll see you later tonight, alright?”

Without waiting for Lance to shake out of his stupor, Matt left, the door closing gently shut behind him. Only after the door clicked shut did Lance return to himself. With a flushed face, he stood and went to fix a bottle for the baby. He’d said it once, and he’d say it again:

_ Shiro’s pack was weird. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and on tumblr)


	7. Unexpected Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, thanks to my beautiful, talented beta, @spicygenou (on here and on tumblr), for going through these chapters. ;u; she's a blessing, guys. (y'all should go read some of her fics. they're really good.)

It had been a normal shift, just like any other night, until exactly ten seconds prior. Lance had been given a small break which he was eager to spend with his infant son, so he headed straight for Allura’s office as soon as he was given the go ahead. What he expected to see after he opened the door was Coran or Allura tending to and entertaining Mateo while the other dealt with paperwork or shipments or whatever. Instead, after he opened the door, Lance was faced with Shiro-- _ of all people _ \--sitting cross-legged on the floor with Mateo in his arms and  _ cooing _ over him. Baby talk spilled from Shiro’s lips, causing the baby in his arms to laugh and babble back while squirming. Lance stared at the scene before him, eyes wide and jaw on the floor. He almost wished he could rewind time just enough so that he could stop himself from walking in.

_ Almost. _

Mateo had a wide grin as he stared up at the alpha and laughed, waving his little arms up at him. Lance’s heart fluttered in his chest as Shiro’s own smile grew in response. A soft-- _ the softest _ \--laugh rumbled up from deep in Shiro’s chest, his eyes crinkling at the corners with it. Those same grey eyes looked up after a moment, widening slightly at seeing just who was standing in the doorway. Lance’s breath stuttered as their gazes met. Shiro’s smile faded slowly, looking like a child who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Lance blinked and finally closed his mouth, leaning against the doorframe as he crossed his arms over his chest and attempted to look at least a little intimidating. An alpha he had only met once--about two and a half weeks ago in fact--was holding his child after all. Hoping his voice wasn’t as shaken up as it sounded to him, he asked, “Where’s Coran?”

Shiro unconsciously tucked the baby closer to himself. “There was an emergency at the bar upstairs.”

“Uh-huh…” Lance tilted his head just so, raising a brow. “And Allura?”

“Her presence was requested by a party of ten.” Shiro dropped his gaze down to the baby before fixing it back onto the omega.

“Right...and why are you here?”

A beat of silence passed.

“I...forgot where you lived, and I wanted to apologize in person on behalf of my pack.” Lance straightened up at that, surprise flitting across his face. Shiro continued before Lance could say anything else,“That and Allura asked me to bring a ream of computer paper up here.”

“They forgot to get more again. Figures.” Lance’s brows creased before he shook his head. He closed the door behind himself as he finally stepped inside the office. He sat down in front of Shiro and held out his hands. “Gimme.”

Obediently, Shiro handed the baby over, struggling to keep the pout off his face. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms, leaning his back against the wall behind him. “I, uh, talked to my pack. Well, I texted them after Matt told me what was going on. We’re going to hold a pack meeting about it tonight to discuss their behavior.”

“Thank you,” Lance said with a smile before dropping his lips onto Mateo’s cheek and blowing out hard. The baby writhed and squealed at the surprise raspberry. Lance’s grin only grew as he then started his usual routine. He checked Mateo’s diaper, pleased to find it clean before asking Shiro to pass him the backpack that was under Allura’s desk. The alpha did as asked, watching Lance fuss over his child with interest. Lance ended up handing the baby back over to Shiro before digging around in the bag in order to make a bottle.

“He’s already taking baby food?” Shiro asked, eyeing the small container of bananas Lance was dumping into the baby bottle.

Lance tossed the empty container at the wastebin in the corner of the room, grinning slightly when it made it inside. “Yeah. Mixed with his formula and some rice cereal. Doctor said he’s a little underweight, so this is how he has to have it now.”

Mateo wiggled in Shiro’s hold, waving his arms towards Lance. Shiro glanced down at him and adjusted his grip. “Woah! Hold on there, little guy. Your daddy’s not done.”

The baby only laughed and waved his arms as he leaned his weight more towards his father excitedly. A soft laugh left Lance as he finished up spilling the ingredients into the bottle and screwed on the top to shake it up. “Put him on the floor.”

Shiro frowned but did so. The baby immediately smacked his arms around on the floor and kicked with his feet, trying to push himself over to Lance.  Lance grinned as Mateo’s feet pressed against Shiro’s leg to help propel himself across the small space between them. Shiro released an impressed laugh. “Look at you! You’re gonna be crawling in no time, aren’t you?”

“Don’t jinx it! He’s growing too fast. I’m going to blink and find myself teaching him to ride a bike or something,” Lance laughed before picking up the baby and cradling him to his chest. He pushed the bottle’s nipple into Mateo’s mouth. “There you go. You were hungry, weren’t you?”

Mateo grinned around the bottle in his mouth momentarily before suckling on it greedily. Shiro and Lance conversed quietly as the baby ate. Allura returned to the office before Coran. She looked irritated, but with one look at Mateo, who was now sleeping in Lance’s arms, the stress seemed to melt off of her. Shiro stood as soon as she entered the office, saying his goodbyes and heading out. Lance watched him leave, staring at the door even after it had closed. Allura rose a brow at this, a grin inching onto her face, “He’s excellent, isn’t he?”

Lance nodded dumbly, not really paying attention. Allura’s grin grew. “Are you--Oh, I don’t know…--maybe  _ reconsidering?” _

Lance snapped out of his daze, twisting around to stare at her head on. “Reconsidering what?”

“Joining the pack?” She leaned forward in her seat, placing her elbows on the desk before her and grinning as wide as she could manage.

“No!” Lance’s mouth twisted as he cuddled Mateo closer to himself.

Allura slumped back into her chair with a defeated sigh before pouting at him. “I don’t understand you. Aren’t omegas supposed to desire being in packs? I swear I read about that once.”

He rolled his eyes. “Probably read it next to the page about how omegas are mindless breeding holes.”

She straightened up in her seat immediately, gaping at him in shock. “I-! Lance! No! I don’t think that at all, and you  _ know _ it!”

He winced, ducking his head a bit. “S-sorry. I know. I don’t know why I ev _ en said that? God.  _ I just-” A heavy sigh left him as his eyes dropped to stare at the baby in his arms. “I’m sorry, Allura. I’m just a bit stressed out lately. Look. I have my reasons for not being in a pack, Allura, and everyone lately has just been-”

“Pushy, I know, but we just want what’s best for you…”

“And being in a pack is what’s best for me?”

“Well, y-!”

“No,” Lance cut her off, “It’s not.”

“Why not?”

Ignoring her question, Lance closed his eyes as words spilled out of his mouth unbidden. “I didn’t even properly leave my last one. I couldn’t get close enough to the pack alpha to ask. No one but the leading omega was allowed near him because he was-”

He cut himself off, feeling he was saying too much. Silence met his words. Lance cracked open his eyes to see Allura staring at him. Her mouth opened and closed several times as if trying and failing to find the right words to say. He sighed softly and glanced to the small digital clock on her desk. “My break’s over.”

Carefully, so not to wake the baby, he laid Mateo in his carrier before standing to leave. He paused at the door and turned back to Allura. “Thank you for watching him for me, and I’m sorry I… I said some things I shouldn’t have. You’re a great friend, and I’m lucky to have you. Can I make it up to you?”

Allura finally closed her mouth, hesitating before nodding.

A smile touched the corners of Lance’s mouth. “I’ll bring you something tomorrow. Coffee? I could bake something?”

He turned to go, but Allura’s voice stopped him. “Actually, let me take you out this weekend, and we’ll call it even.”

Lance turned to stare at her in surprise. “Um… Like a date or…?”

“No!” Allura laughed. “No no no! As friends. Bring Mateo. I want to spoil him, and I’m not going to waste an opportunity to do so.”

A relieved laugh flew out of him. “Oh, man. I’m gonna regret this. I  _ guess  _ I’ll call you later.”

“You better, mister!”

Lance shut the door behind him and made his way back to the kitchens to grab his apron where he left it with Hunk. Hunk sniffed at him when Lance stopped next to him to tie the apron around his waist. “Is that…?”

“Is that what?” Lance tied the knot quickly and began piling a tray with food.

“Why do you smell like Shiro?” Hunk moved to grab at him, but Lance dodged the swipe and quickly made his way to the doors.

“Don’t worry about it! It’s nothing!” he yelled after himself as he bumped his hips against the swinging doors and slipped out. He immediately made his way to the table the food was for, customer service smile already in place as he stopped beside the table. “Alright, fellas, I’ve got two-”

“Lance?” His voice died in his throat as shock rippled through Lance’s body, feeling every muscle tense up. His eyes fell onto the man who spoke his name, his mouth falling open. His tongue felt heavy, and his mouth was too dry. There, sitting in the chair directly across from where Lance stood, was Lotor. A man he hadn’t seen in a year. Lotor looked just the same as when Lance had left him: long, bleached hair that was carefully tied back; smooth, unblemished skin; that damn expensive three-piece suit that Lance remembers picking out for him one odd holiday or other. He stood from his seat, cornflower eyes on him, “I can’t believe it. It’s… It’s really you.”

Unable to think of anything else to do, Lance laughed, awkward and loud, before dropping the plates on the table. The only thought running through his head being that he needed to  _ leave.  _ “Oh, Lotor. How funny it is… to… run into you… here… of all places. It’s been awhile. Anyway, here’s your food. I’ll just be going back to doing my job. No big deal. Let’s not make this a big deal.”

Lance started backing away as soon as the food was down on the table, but Lotor rounded the table in seconds, taking ahold of his shoulder. “Wait! Lance, we need to-”

Lotor’s brow furrowed just slightly before he leaned in and sniffed. “We need to… talk…”

Lance’s blood ran cold as Lotor smelled the scent still sticking faintly to his clothes. “Lotor, look. We’ve been over this an-”

“No,” Lotor frowned, a growl behind the word. Lance’s jaw dropped as the next words to come out of his mouth were laced with an alpha’s command.  _ “You will talk to me after your shift is over. Do you understand?” _

Lance’s body trembled just slightly, his head tilting to the side in submission. Oh, how he hated this aspect of his biology. He grit his teeth as he answered tersely, “Fine.”

Once Lotor’s hand was removed from his shoulder, Lance gripped the empty tray in his hands hard enough to turn his knuckles white and turned away to make his way back to the kitchens numbly. Matt took one look at his face once Lance made it through the doors and immediately dropped what he was doing. Lance hardly noticed as he was guided to sit down on an overturned crate, mind racing. He couldn’t even focus on the words being spoken to him. The tray was gently pried from his hands before he even said anything.

“He’s-” Lance wheezed out, panic beginning to grasp his throat. “What if he-?! I’m-!”

“Woah! Hold on a minute.” Hunk hurried over and placed a heavy hand on Lance’s shoulder, squatting down to meet his eye. “Breathe, man. What happened? Did one of the customers do something?”

Lance’s breathing only quickened and grew shallow, eyes glazing over. Hunk’s hand slid up Lance’s shoulder, to just beside his neck, and squeezed. The omega immediately snapped back to attention, his breath stuttering before gradually growing calm. After a moment of just breathing in slow and deep, he mumbled, “I-I’m sorry.”

Hunk removed his hand once Lance spoke. “What happened?”

“My ex is here.”

Matt and Hunk shared surprised looks before returning their gazes back to Lance. Matt knelt down beside Hunk. “Your ex?”

“He wants to talk, b-but I don’t know what about. I-I never told him about-” Lance curled in on himself, bowing his head.

“Never told him about what?” Hunk questioned gently, taking his hand.

“Mateo…”


	8. The Talk

“Are you sure you don’t want us to stay with you?” Hunk asked for the umpteenth time as they exited the closed restaurant, “It wouldn’t be a problem. We can explain what happened to Shiro, and he’ll-”

“No,” Lance said, his voice soft, “It’s fine, Hunk. I promise. You and Matt need to go. Pack comes first.”

Despite Lance’s reassurance, the two still hesitated to leave. Matt opened his mouth to speak but paused as a sleek, black car rolled up to the curbside. Lance adjusted the cover over the baby’s carrier nervously as the back window rolled down. Lotor looked them all over, a frown on his lips. “I see you’ve brought friends.”

“They’re not coming,” Lance stated before Hunk or Matt could say anything. He opened the car door without looking back at the other two on the sidewalk. “Scoot over.”

Lotor complied easily, sliding across leather seats to the other side of the car. Lance set the carrier down between them and buckled it in before closing the door behind him. He set the diaper bag on the floor and turned just as the window was rolling back up, giving a reassuring smile and a small wave to his friends before the tinted window hid him from view. The smile faded as the car jerked into motion. He hesitantly turned his attention back to the alpha with him. However, Lotor wasn’t looking at him at all. Instead, his eyes were on the covered car seat.

“You’ve remated?” The question was soft, almost mournful.

“No.” Lance didn’t see the point in trying to lie. His fingers trembled as he reached over to lift the cover that hid the sleeping baby underneath. He watched as Lotor leaned over to peek into the baby carrier. 

Cornflower blue eyes widened before narrowing as he scrutinized what he was seeing. Lotor glanced up at Lance momentarily before he reached a hand out to slide over the baby’s head, feeling the black curls beneath his fingers. Mateo’s eyes blinked open at the unfamiliar touch and smell, his nose wrinkling as his mouth twisted. Lotor stared at those eyes, his own wide once more. Slowly, he tore his gaze away to look at Lance in shock. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Lance averted his gaze. “It’s exactly what it looks like. I’m not asking for anything. I just thought… it was time for you to know.”

“Why didn’t you try to tell me sooner? I haven’t moved. It wouldn’t have been hard to find me.”

“I didn’t want to.”

“Why not?”

Lance finally looked over at him, his hands folding in his lap. “We weren’t together anymore. What right did I have to bring him to you and demand we fix everything? I took the morning after pill. This shouldn’t have even happened.”

“And I didn’t have the right to know I had a son?” Lotor’s expression cooled into one of indifference.

Lance hated when he did this. “Don’t start this…”

“I haven’t started anything. If I hadn’t come to the Castle of Lions for a business dinner, tell me: would you have even tried to bring this to my attention?”

“Lot-”

“Or would you have preferred that I had never known?”

Lance went quiet, his teeth already habitually digging into his lower lip.

“I see…” Lotor mumbled, eyes returning to the baby that was now playing with his fingers curiously. “No matter. This will only benefit you in our pack.”

“Funny you mentioned the pack,” a nervous laugh left Lance, “because I need to talk to your father.”

“Which brings me to what I needed to talk to you about. Our pack alpha is dead. His illness won.”

Lance went pale, eyes searching Lotor’s face for some sign that he may have been lying. When he didn’t find any, he slumped back against the car door. “Then… who’s-?”

“I am.”

“I’m sure _ that _ went over well.”

“Oh, no. I was challenged. Of course, I was. Sendak was the one to do it. He lost but still took off with our pack including our leading omega.”

Lance winced. “That’s…  _ Wow.” _

“A few stayed, however, and I’m hoping you’ll be one of them. Maybe, you could even be our new leading omega.”

Lance stared at him incredulously. “What? No! Hell, I needed to talk to your father because I wanted to ask his permission to leave the pack.”

“Ask me then. I’m the alpha in charge now.”

“Only if I choose you! I could just as easily ask Sendak. Most of the pack chose him anyway.”

“And you really think he’s going to let you leave? Don’t play dumb. We both know what Sendak is like.”

Lance couldn’t stop the shudder that ran through him if he tried. He  _ did _ know exactly where Sendak would rather have him--or any other omega for that matter. He sighed heavily. “Fine. Lotor, I wish to leave the pack. Please, allow me to do so.”

“Where would you go? To that alpha I smelled on you? Our child reeks of them. Going to join their pack?”

“No,” Lance rolled his eyes, “I’ll be going home. No packs.”

“Fine. You have my blessing,”--Lance breathed a sigh of relief.--“but the little one stays.”

_ “What?” _ Lance turned his body towards him, leaning forward with an aggressive growl rumbling in his chest.

“Our baby was born while you were a part of my father’s pack. Therefore, the both of you belong in my pack,” Lotor stated calmly, “If you’re going to leave, the baby is staying until they’re old enough to ask me to leave on their own.”

_ “Oh, fuck you!”  _ Lance ground out. “Stop the car.”

“Narti, you heard him.” The car slowed to a stop, parking close to the sidewalk. A pleased, smug smile sat on Lotor’s face. “We meet on Mondays at four. Bring whatever you need to keep yourself and the little one occupied.”

Lance unstrapped the car seat, slipping his arm under the handle as he shoved the car door open. Lotor’s voice stopped him right as he stepped out.

“Oh, and Lance? You better be there.”

Lance growled and slammed the door shut, instantly marching off down the sidewalk. It was only when he got five blocks away that he realized he left the diaper bag in the car. The diaper bag that also held his apartment keys, phone, and wallet. Tears pricked at his eyes as he leaned up against the side of a storefront, his teeth already tearing into his lower lip as he tried to keep himself from crying. 

He startled when the store’s door opened. If Lance wasn’t so upset, he’d probably cringe at the fact that this guy was walking around with a mullet. The man stopped at seeing him, a small plastic bag hooked around his wrist. He paused and glanced about before hesitantly approaching Lance. Lance narrowed his eyes, the hair on his arms raising when he caught the scent of an alpha. He snapped out, “What?”

The alpha paused before a glare settled over his--surprisingly pretty--features. “I just wanted to know if you were alright. Your smell’s all sour.”

Lance flushed slightly with embarrassment. “I’m… I’m fine. Just… It hasn’t exactly been my night. I lost my bag, and I can’t get into my place without it.”

The alpha watched as Lance tucked the baby carrier closer to himself. “That sucks.”

“Yeah…”

“Do you know the number of someone you could call? You can borrow my phone.”

“Uh… No, I don’t. Well, not anyone that would be able to help right away.”

“I…” the alpha seemed to hesitate before sighing, “I’m on my way to meet up with my pack. Maybe, someone there can help you out? There’s not really anything for a baby, but… it couldn’t hurt to try?”

Lance blinked. “That’s… really nice. Uh, yeah. I’d… I’d like that. Thank you- Oh, sorry. I’m Lance, and you’re...?”

The alpha held out his free hand. “Keith.”

“Okay. Keith. Cool. Thank you, Keith.” Lance shook his hand and smiled. Maybe, this night wouldn’t be complete shit after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and on tumblr)


	9. Déjà Vu

Lance stumbled out of the rust bucket of a car on shaky legs. He had half a mind to kiss the ground but decided against it in favor of getting his baby out of that death trap. Keith, on the other hand, looked wholly unphased by their ride as he exited his vehicle. Lance sent him a glare as he pulled the baby carrier out. The alpha raised a brow in return. “What?”

“Don’t you ‘what’ me! What the hell was that?” Lance spat, tucking the carrier close to his side as he followed Keith up the driveway.

“‘That’?”

“Speeding around turns! Running red lights! Were you trying to get us all  _ killed? _ Your driving is the  _ worst.” _

Keith turned to fix him with a glare of his own. “Did you die?”

“What?”

“Did. You. Die?”

“No?” Lance’s nose scrunched up at the question.

“Then, I didn’t do half bad for someone dealing with a passenger that does nothing but flinch and scream.” Keith shrugged and continued to the porch. 

“I  _ did not _ -” Lance paused as he finally looked around and realized where they were. “Aw, man...”

“What now?” Keith rolled his eyes with a huff, frustration creasing his brow.

“Your pack alpha wouldn’t happen to be Shiro, would it?”

Keith blinked at him, frustration turning into confusion then curiosity. “...Yeah. How did you know that?”

Lance pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled a deep breath only to let it out slowly. He dropped his hand as he muttered, “I’m friends with some of your packmates.”

“Oh.” Keith didn’t bother to knock on the door before entering, leading the omega down into the main room of the house. 

Shiro’s voice sounded from further within after the front door shut, “Keith, you’re late.”

“Yeah yeah,” Keith smiled slightly despite the intentional flat tone he put into his voice. The smile was gone by the time he stepped into the living room with Lance. Everyone in the room went quiet. Lance felt a sense of déjà vu sweep through him until he looked to the pack alpha. Shiro was standing at the front of the nest this time, his arms crossed and looking like he was about to reprimand a classroom of kindergartners. He turned towards the pair, surprise flitting across his face. Keith jabbed his thumb in Lance’s direction. “Found this guy by Shay’s. Said he lost his keys and can’t get into his place.”

Matt crawled his way out of the sea of people--and there were a  _ lot _ of people. It was a wonder how they all fit--in the nest and stumbled to his feet, making his way over to Lance. “What d’you mean you lost your keys? Lance, what happened?”

“I don’t really want to get into the details of it here,” Lance mumbled after Matt came to a stop in front of him, keeping his voice quiet as to not let everyone in the room overhear, “But my bag’s still in Lotor’s car.”

Shiro stepped over to them, concern etched into his face as he glanced down at the baby carrier, “Who’s Lotor? Wait- the diaper bag?”

_ So much for no one else overhearing. _ Lance sighed heavily, “Yeah. I probably won’t be able to get it back until Monday. Pretty sure he’s going to use it as collateral.”

“Collateral? For what?” Matt’s face seemed to harden as his brows furrowed. “What did he do? Did he touch you? If he touched you, I swear-”

“He didn’t touch me.” Lance placed a hand on Matt’s shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. “I’m okay. I’ll explain what happened later.”

The concern on Shiro’s face only seemed to grow, but he didn’t voice any questions he may have had. Instead, his tone became more authorative as he stated, “Later then. We’ll figure something out. For now, Matt, take Lance upstairs, please. I’m sure he’s tired. Keith, find a spot, and we’ll get on with the meeting.”

Lance allowed himself to be herded upstairs while Keith edged around the side of the nest to look for a spot to sit down. Matt ended up leaving Lance in a room that was suspiciously heavy with Shiro’s scent, but Lance assumed that it was just because this was Shiro’s house. Lance set the carrier down on the floor before pulling the sleeping baby from it with gentle hands. He sat on the edge of the bed to wait, holding Mateo close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and on tumblr)


	10. Hospitality

By the time the pack finished their meeting downstairs,--which Lance deduced by how quiet it had become--he was curled up on the bed, trying to calm his crying child. He winced at a hungry wail that grew just a little too loud. He sighed heavily as he took a moment to strengthen his resolve. It had been awhile since he’d had to do this.

Lance sat up and stripped off his shirt. After settling himself against the headboard, he grabbed Mateo and brought him up to his chest. At first, Mateo slapped at his chest in frustration, cries still emitting from his lips. However, after a few patient moments taken to help guide the child, Lance managed to get him to latch on. He sighed as the child quieted. It wouldn’t be a full meal, but it would be enough to tide the infant over.

Lance tried to relax into the feeling of chest feeding, having never particularly liked it. He glanced down at feeling a tiny hand press against the scar beneath his pec. Mateo pulled away after a couple minutes, beginning to fuss again, so Lance switched him to the other side. Just as the baby settled, the turning of the doorknob sounded, and the door opened before Lance could say anything to keep the person out. 

A surprised squeak left him as Shiro entered the room and froze. Shiro immediately spun around, already apologizing as he inched back towards the door. “I-I’m so sorry. I thought Matt would’ve put you in the guest room, but I guess not since you’re  _ here _ ...in  _ my  _ room.”

Lance felt his face heat up, taking another look around.  _ This was his room? _ It was way too clean and bare to be someone’s room. “I’m sorry. I should’ve...realized by the smell. I can move. Just give me a moment.”

Shiro stilled. “No! Stay. You’re fine. I was going to grab my keys and come talk to you anyway.”

Lance felt himself relax back against the headboard. His brows furrowed in confusion before he picked up on a change to the scent in the air. He took a deep breath, allowing the calming agent Shiro was releasing to further flood his senses. His nerves calmed, and a strange confidence swelled under his skin. “Then, grab your keys and talk to me.”

The alpha stayed where he was a for a moment, as if uncertain, before moving. He side stepped over to the dresser on the opposite side of the small room, keeping his back to the omega on the bed. Lance couldn’t tear his eyes off of him, watching his every move. Shiro opened the top drawer and pulled out a set of car keys before shutting it. “Hunk mentioned that your land-”

“Turn around and talk to me,” Lance interrupted, “I’m just feeding a baby.”

Shiro went still once more, but he listened, turning around after taking a deep breath. His grey eyes locked onto Lance’s blue, keeping his gaze strictly on the other’s face. “Hunk mentioned that your landlord is never around, so we looked for alternatives. We found someone who can unlock your apartment…”

“But?” It sounded as if the word belonged at the end of that sentence.

“...They won’t be open until eight.”

“You’re kidding!”

“Afraid not. My jokes are normally much better than this.”

Lance sighed, a small laugh behind it. “So, what’s the game plan now?”

“Well, I wanted to ask if you’d be okay staying here for the night. We can go to the store to pick up some stuff for Mateo. You can leave him here with Matt and Hunk while we go out. They want a reason to stay and talk to you anyway.”

Lance stared at him. “I-I couldn’t ask you to do that for us.”

“Babies have needs, and honestly, we don’t mind.  _ I  _ really don’t mind.”

Lance’s teeth were on his lip again. He glanced down at the baby. Mateo had stopped suckling and was now just rubbing his tear-stained face against his father’s chest. Lance sighed softly, a fond look in his eye as he returned his gaze to Shiro. “Okay… but I’m paying you back, Mr. Shirogane.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beta: spicygenou (on here and on tumblr)


	11. Midnight Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ ;0; a beautiful being did art inspired by this fic and i'm living guys! check it out here and give Santi all the love! ](http://santeria.tumblr.com/post/174605970693/the-very-last-of-the-art-giveaway-that-was-delayed)

The cart’s back right wheel squeaked as alpha and omega combed through the baby aisles in the near empty store. Lance grabbed the cheapest pack of single-fruit baby food he could find on the shelf and tossed it in the cart. Shiro paused, staring down at it. “That’s not the kind you used before.”

Lance just shrugged in response. Normally, Lance grabbed nicer stuff from the shelf for his son, choosing to keep anything for himself on the cheaper end to be able to afford it. However, Shiro was paying, and Lance wasn’t planning to take advantage of his kindness. Shiro frowned and plucked the item out of the cart and placed it back on the shelf. Lance’s eyes widened before his brows pinched together. “What’re you doing?”

Shiro shrugged in a way that mocked Lance’s own from earlier, a smile curling at his lips. He wheeled the cart backwards and grabbed the kind of food he had seen Lance use and dropped two packs of it into the buggy. Lance marched towards him, fully intending on putting them back. “Shiro, no.”

The alpha tugged the cart away just before the omega was able to grab the edge of the basket. Lance glared, his voice tight as he ground out,  _ “Shiro.” _

A good-natured, playful grin was on Shiro’s face as he kept the cart out of reach. “Lance.”

“Put them back.”

“No. Stop worrying about the price. You’re not going to break my wallet with some baby food and diapers. Just get what he’s used to having.”

“At least put one of them back.”

“No can do.”

“Shiro…”

“Double up everything, so we’ll be prepared if this happens again.”

Lance released a frustrated sigh, taking a moment to turn away and breathe before facing him again. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Shiro rolled the cart back over to him, “I’m sure.”

Lance stared at him for a moment longer before grabbing two packs of diapers and tossing them into the cart. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Shiro grinned, nudging his shoulder against Lance’s gently before walking on. Lance felt a flutter in his chest at the touch. He chewed on his lower lip as he stared after the alpha before following after him. He made sure to brush his arm against him as he passed behind him to grab two small packs of baby wipes. When he turned to drop them in the cart, Shiro’s eyes were on him, surprise evident. Lance couldn’t stop the smile that inched onto his face at the reaction.

By the time they checked out, they were trading casual touches and playfully passing them off as accidents. Lance was sure he was blushing as they headed out of the store, each holding a couple bags on one arm. A glance to his side showed that Shiro’s cheeks had a healthy glow to them as well. A laugh escaped him before he picked up his pace. “Race ya to the truck!”

“What?” Shiro faltered as Lance jogged into a sprint. “Hey!”

Laughter poured out of Lance as Shiro hurried to catch up. Shiro, however, won, smacking the side of his truck with a hum of triumph in his throat as he turned back to look at Lance with a grin. Breathy laughter still shook Lance’s frame as he slowed to a halt in front of him. He stared up into Shiro’s grey eyes, and Shiro’s expression relaxed into a soft smile. Lance watched as the other leaned down towards him. He found himself leaning toward him as well, but they both paused, eyes on each other uncertainly. Shiro spoke after a moment, his voice a mere whisper as he asked, “Does the winner get a prize?”

“A… prize?” Lance licked his lip, suddenly nervous.

“Winners usually get a prize, right?” Shiro pressed closer, not quite touching, but Lance could feel his breath ghosting over his lips.

“Y-yeah, they do. I’m just… lost on what kind of prize to give you.”

Shiro hummed in his throat, lifting a hand to Lance’s cheek. “I think I may know what I can get.”

Lance’s mind went blank as Shiro’s hand tilted his chin up. His heartbeat thudded in his ears as Shiro leaned in. His eyes fell shut, lips parting expectantly, only for him to feel a brush of lips kiss his forehead. A thrill traveled down his spine, and his eyes snapped back open. Shiro pulled away after that, dropping his hand to his pocket to fish out his keys. He unlocked the truck and opened it up, placing the bags on the floor of the passenger seat. “We should get back. We have people waiting on us.”

Lance nodded in agreement but felt rooted to the spot. His heart still fluttered in a frenzy even as Shiro rounded the truck to climb in on the driver’s side. He forced his legs to move and climbed shakily into the truck, placing the bags hanging from his arm down at his feet after shutting the door. Shiro started the truck and glanced over to him, noticing the change in his demeanor.  “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Lance answered quietly, turning his eyes to Shiro. Shiro sucked in a breath, seeing those blue eyes were welling with sudden, unshed tears. Lance cleared his throat, blinking a couple of times and averting his gaze. “I didn’t expect… I don’t know why I’m…”

Shiro reached over and laid his hand over Lance’s.  _ Funny. _ Lance hadn’t realized he had been gripping his pants so tight. The words came unbidden, dropping from his lips like dead weight, “I’m sorry.”

The alpha squeezed his hand gently. “What is there to be sorry for?”

“I don’t know…”

“Talk to me, Lance.” Shiro twisted in his seat in an attempt to face the omega more directly. “I want to help you, but I don’t know how... Was it because I kissed you?”

Lance shook his head, teary eyes finally returning to Shiro’s face. “No. I… I wanted you to.”

“You did?” Shiro seemed to relax at that statement.

A small laugh bubbled up out of Lance’s throat before he closed it off. “I just… I guess I just feel kind of guilty.”

“Guilty...because of your previous mate?”

Lance sighed quietly and nodded. “I know I shouldn’t. I left my mate forever ago, but I didn’t even tell him that he had a son until tonight. How fucked up is that?”

“There had to be a reason, I’m sure.”

“There was, but it seems so stupid now.”

“I doubt it was stupid.”

Lance turned his hand over in Shiro’s grip, lacing their fingers together. His other hand shifted over to play with Shiro’s fingers. Shiro’s scent seemed to thicken in the cabin of the vehicle, the smell incredibly soothing. Lance breathed it in, allowing it to calm him down. “I didn’t tell him because I was afraid that he wouldn’t want Mateo. It hardly even seemed like he wanted me before I broke it off… I can’t help but think that it was my fault. That I failed in some way.”

Shiro opened his mouth to speak, but one look from Lance had his jaw clicking back shut. Lance continued, “I know it’s not my fault. I tried to make it work, but Lotor was-  _ is _ -a very busy man. I guess I just don’t quite know where we went wrong. It was...so  _ good _ when things were good.”

“But when things were bad?” Shiro asked hesitantly.

“We weren’t ever on the same page then…” Lance murmured. “Before I knew what had happened, four years had passed, and the bad outweighed the good. Then, I just  _ had _ to have my heat right after I ended it. I never keep track of the stupid cycle. Mama always told me I should, and did I listen?  _ No. _ ”

Shiro’s brows knit at this, mouth twisting into a frown. “…He entered your nest while you were in heat?”

“To be fair, I had scent blockers on my door. He came over to try and talk things out between us, and our bond was still too strong to keep off each other. Have you ever been bonded, Shiro?”

“No.”

“I’m not going to lie… It’s  _ amazing. _ ” Lance breathed, eyes distant as he remembered. “You can feel your partner through it. Their emotions. Their presence. Sometimes, you can even hear their thoughts if you’re close enough.”

“Do you still…?”

“Feel him?” Lance asked.

Shiro nodded.

“Every once and a while, but it’s barely there. I can’t make out anything other than his presence, but it’s more like trying to spot someone in the dark. It should be completely gone soon if...”

“If?”

“If Lotor doesn’t do something stupid.”

“You think he would?”

“I… I don’t know. He became pack alpha and won’t give me permission to leave, and I don’t know what he wants.” Lance slumped down in his seat, bringing his knees up. “He told me that Mateo has to stay in the pack until he’s old enough to make the decision to leave himself. If I leave the pack, I’d have to leave Mateo with them.”

Shiro’s heavy scent soured as he tightened his hold on Lance’s hand. “Pack alphas shouldn’t trap their packmates like that.”

“It might just be his fucked up way of making sure he gets to see Mateo or that I don’t just run off again.”

“Doesn’t matter. Pack alphas are meant to protect their pack.”

“I have a plan to get out. I just have to get my phone back first.” Lance squeezed Shiro’s hand reassuringly, Shiro loosening his grip in response. “I’ll have to go to the pack meet to get it though.”

“Will you need a ride? I can take you…”

Lance shook his head. “No. I’m sure he’ll send someone to pick me up.”

“To make sure you’ll be there.”

“Yeah…”

Silence blanketed the space between them. Without another word, Shiro took his hand back to put the truck in reverse. They returned to the house where Lance retold the conversation between Lotor and him to Matt and Hunk. Then, they all went to bed. The next morning, Hunk was the one to take Lance to the locksmith as Shiro wasn’t there when they woke, but the alpha had left a wad of cash and a note with the locksmith’s address on the kitchen counter for them.

Though confused, Lance didn’t question it, figuring the talk last night might have made Shiro uncomfortable. He’d have to remember to apologize for oversharing when he sees the alpha again.


	12. Sunday Spoils

The sun shined prettily down through the glass ceiling as Lance and Allura roamed through the mall. Mateo waved his arms at everyone they passed from where he was strapped to Lance’s chest. Every so often, a laugh or a high pitched squeal would emit from him in his excitement. Allura suddenly lit up and grabbed Lance’s hand, dragging him towards yet another kid’s clothing store.

“Oh, god! Allura!  _ Another?” _ Lance whined.

She giggled and headed to the nearest rack. “I said I’d spoil him, and I meant it.”

Lance groaned but walked over to her, running a hand through his hair as she held up a sailor’s outfit. He frowned. “No.”

“Awww! Little Mateo would look so cute though!” She bent her knees until she was at the baby’s height and cooed, “Wouldn’t you~?”

Mateo reached towards her, his nose wrinkling up with mirth. “Ah!”

“That’s right!” Allura straightened back up with a wink. “You heard him, Lance. He likey~”

“More like he likes  _ you,”  _ Lance sighed before suddenly grinning, “but who could blame him? He’s got good taste.”

Allura snorted out a laugh and shook her head. “Well, this alpha isn’t on the market. Too bad.”

Lance grinned. “How’s it going with Hunk, by the way? He never wants to give me the deets.”

“And you think I’ll give you the “deets” if he’s not?”

“C’mon! I’m a single parent. I  _ need _ the gossip. I’ll go crazy.”

“What happened to single parents watching soap operas?”

“Can’t afford cable.”

“What?”

Lance shrugged before giving her an exaggerated pout. “Don’t really need a TV if I have gossip, so please spill?”

“Fine,” Allura laughed, “Hunk is amazing, and I’m so ready for a bond.”

“Yeah?” Lance rocked on his feet excitedly.

“But… Hunk isn’t quite yet.”

“What?!”

“It’s natural to be nervous, don’t you think? It’s a big step.”

“Hunk was  _ born _ nervous. At this rate, I’ll be dead before you get a mark on him.”

Laughter spilled out of her as she took another outfit off the rack. “It’ll be worth the wait.”

Warmth bloomed in Lance’s chest at her words.  _ Hunk is so damn lucky. _


	13. Monday at Four

Lance was just finishing getting Mateo dressed when a knock sounded on his apartment door. He placed Mateo in his crib and left their bedroom to approach the door warily. “Who is it?”

“Your ride to pack night!” An excited voice chirped on the other side. Lance opened it to reveal Ezor.

Offering her a timid smile, he stepped to the side, letting her in. “We’re almost ready.”

“Where’s the little tyke I’ve heard so much about?” She beamed a bright smile as she looked around the place.

“The bedroom.” He pointed to the door and watched as Ezor made her way in with a bounce in her step. A squeal sounded not too long after. Lance huffed out a laugh as he slipped on his sneakers and tied up his laces.

Ezor walked out with Mateo cradled in her arms, her impossibly bright smile somehow even brighter.  _ “Oh my god, Lance! _ He looks so much like Lotor but, like, a million times cuter!”

Lance grinned as he stood up. “Yeah. I think he’s got my nose, though?”

Ezor tilted her head as she studied Mateo’s face. “Hmmm maybe… Anyway, ready to go?”

“Yeah.” 

“Let’s go!” Ezor practically skipped out. Lance followed her out after grabbing Mateo’s car seat, making sure to lock the door behind himself. She lead him down the creaking, metal stairs to the sidewalk where her bright red convertible was parked with the hood down. 

Lance grimaced. “Someone could’ve stolen your car.”

“Could’ve but didn’t.” Ezor turned her head to wink at him before pulling her keys from the pocket of her high waisted shorts. Lance strapped the car seat down in the back as soon as she unlocked the door. Ezor waited patiently until he was done before handing Mateo over, so Lance could buckle him in. However, she stopped him when he attempted to slide into the back seat. “Get in the front.”

“But… What if he needs me?” Lance hesitated.

“He’ll be fine.” Ezor walked around the car with a flip of her multi-colored ponytail, slipping into the driver’s seat fluidly. Lance glanced at Mateo before shutting the door and climbing into the front seat. The rest of the drive was spent in silence save for the faint pop music flowing from the car’s speakers and the wind whistling around them.

Lance tried to relax as they got closer to Lotor’s place, but the more he tried, the harder it seemed to get. His palms felt too sweaty, and his heart rate seemed to climb.  _ God, what was wrong with him? _ He tried to ignore the jittering ball of anxiety sitting in his stomach as the car rolled to a stop in front of gates leading in to the--much nicer--apartments where Lotor resided.

Ezor reached out towards the keypad but paused. “Shoot! I forgot his key again.”

“Seven thirty eleven sixteen,” spilled out of Lance’s mouth before he could stop himself.

Ezor turned to look at him with a raise of her brow before punching in the numbers he said. The light next to the keypad flickered green, and the gate opened. She whistled as she drove forward. “Well, I’ll be… You remembered that even after being away for so long?”

“I’m just good with numbers.” Lance didn’t want to tell her that it was around the time and date Lotor claimed him. He itched to rub at the faded mark on his shoulder, but he kept his hands still in his lap. Ezor merely hummed thoughtfully. It wasn’t long before she parked in front of one of the four buildings and shut off the car. Lance took deep, slow breaths as he slipped out of the passenger seat and reached into the back to retrieve Mateo. He let Ezor lead the way up to Lotor’s apartment. A numb feeling spread through his limbs the closer they got to the door. The door opened just as they reached it, Lotor casually leaning against the wall just inside the entryway. “Right on time. Thank you for escorting him here, Ezor.”

“No problem, boss,” she winked at Lance as she slipped past him and inside.

“Where’s my backpack?” Lance asked only to receive no reply.

Instead, Lotor’s cornflower eyes settled on him. Lance stared back, not feeling any less nervous despite how soft the alpha’s gaze appeared. He flinched as Lotor reached out and took his free hand to pull him inside. Lotor shut the door gently behind him and took the baby carrier. “Narti.”

Shuffling was heard from around the corner before Narti appeared. Lotor handed the carrier to her. “Ezor’s good with kids. Have her watch the child for a moment, will you?”

Narti nodded and disappeared with Mateo around the corner. Lance moved to follow instinctively but was stopped as Lotor wrapped an arm around his waist. “What are you-?”

His words died in his throat as he was shoved against the closed door. He swallowed nervously as he shrunk as far back as he could. Lotor leaned into him, pressing his nose to Lance’s neck and breathing in deeply. Lance shivered, clenching his fists as he shut his eyes. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Is it bad for an alpha to scent his omega who smells as if he’s been rolling in a pile of other alphas?”

“I’m not your omega.” His eyes snapped open as Lotor let go of his wrist in favor of yanking his shirt collar aside. “Wait!”

A gasp left him as the alpha dragged his tongue over the old mating mark. His body immediately went limp, leaving Lotor to hold him up. Lance pressed his forehead to the alpha’s shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut as the bond hummed in his mind momentarily. Lotor moved his lips to Lance’s ear, whispering, “If you weren’t mine, I wouldn’t be able to feel you. It’s faint, but it’s there. You still want me whether you’re aware of it or not.”

Lance opened his eyes to glare over Lotor’s shoulder, keeping silent. When there was no reply, Lotor lowered his head and began scenting him, making sure the omega was covered. Lance wanted to shove him away, but at the same time, it was as if his body craved that old pine smell. He didn’t even realize he was purring until Lotor finally pulled away. He cleared his throat, cutting off the sound. He bit his lip as Lotor wrapped his hand around his wrist once more and tugged him into the main room. 

Lance’s brow furrowed at the pathetically small nest on the floor. Ezor looked frustrated as she moved pillows and retucked blankets. Narti held Mateo in her lap beside her. Lance sighed and looked up at Lotor. “This is a shitty nest.”

“Then, help her build it. You two are the only omegas of this pack now.”

With a scowl, Lance snapped, “And you’re the alpha of this pack now! Which means you have to provide the proper materials for it to be built!”

The other members around them startled, glancing to each other at the outburst with apprehension. Lotor raised his brows before he laughed shortly. “I suppose you have a point there. Acxa, fetch some more bedding from the closet.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Acxa stood from her seat on the arm of the couch and disappeared into a nearby room.

“That only confirmed that you’d make a wonderful pack omega.” A smirk played on Lotor’s lips. “Won’t you reconsider?”

“I’d rather choke on a garlic knot.” Lance turned away sharply and knelt next to Ezor. “You haven’t had to do this before, right?”

“Is it that bad?”

“It’s alright. Not bad for a first time. Here. Let me show you.” Lance focused on teaching Ezor, avoiding conversation with Lotor as best as he could for the rest of the evening.


	14. Scent-X

It seemed no matter how hard he scrubbed himself down with the Scent-X soap, the evergreen smell of his ex stubbornly clung to his skin. Lance let loose a growl of frustration before just thumping his head against the shower wall in defeat. Apparently, it was there to stay until it wore off on its own. Lance glared at the soap in his hand. _That or Scent-X is a total ripoff._  He wanted his twenty dollars back. He straightened back up with a sigh and dropped the scent erasing bar into his shower caddy. He then rinsed himself thoroughly and turned off the water, stepping out only to hear his child screaming in the next room.

Lance grabbed the plain towel he’d set on his counter to hurriedly dry off. He forewent putting on a shirt in favor of just slipping into a worn pair of sweatpants and zipping out of the bathroom. As soon as he entered his bedroom, he chirped. Mateo’s cries hiccuped and stuttered to a stop at the sound. He began twisting around where he lay in his crib, waving his arms with a watery pout. Lance padded over to the crib and smiled down at him. “Oh, Mateo. I thought you’d be asleep a bit longer. Daddy’s so sorry.”

He picked up the baby, pressing soft kisses over his face and cooing as he made his way into the living room. Mateo continued to pout as he was moved to Lance's shoulder, eventually just rubbing his face against Lance's skin and sneezing a couple of times. Lance frowned when a tiny hand smacked his chin, but he rubbed Mateo’s back soothingly as he sat on the couch and crossed his legs.

“Bless you! What is goin' on with that nose of yours, buddy? You okay? You know, your father’s a piece of work. Rubbing all over me without even asking. What a jerk, am I right? I mean, who _does_ that?” Lance kept grumbling about it as he leaned back and got comfortable. Mateo pushed away from him suddenly. Lance scrambled to adjust him before he fell out of his arms completely. “Hey! Don’t do that!”

Mateo continued to fuss despite Lance’s protests, rubbing his hands over his nose almost angrily. Lance blinked at this before realization dawned on him. A surprised chuckle bubbled up from the back of his throat before full blown laughter eased out of him. Lance calmed after a minute but was unable to keep the smile off his face. “Aw, Mateo! Do you not like that scent? You might want to keep that to yourself. You’ll upset your father. I’m sorry Daddy stinks right now, but it’ll go away. Maybe.” Lance’s smile began to fade. “Hopefully…”


	15. Incoming

_“Alpha,” Lance breathed, arching his back in an effort to entice the other man into his nest. “Please, Alpha, I need you.”_

_Cold fingers slid down his spine and smoothed over the curve of his ass only to squeeze. Lance moaned as those fingers trailed lower. He bit into his lip, lowering his chest down and looking over his shoulder. His brow creased when he couldn’t make out the face of the alpha with him. The heavy scent in the air was undeniably_ him _though. Those fingers teased at his entrance, pressing but never dipping inside. Lance whined, “I’m a good omega. I can be such a good omega for you…”_

_“Perfect omega,” growled the alpha behind him before thick fingers plunged into him._

A startled gasp flew from his lips as Lance jolted awake. Heavy knocks sounded at his front door. Picking up his phone, Lance checked the time and groaned. _Who the hell comes knocking at five in the morning?_

Grumpily, he rolled out of bed, glancing towards the crib to make sure Mateo was still sound asleep. Then he tiptoed to the door and yanked it open, hissing through his teeth, “What? What could you possibly want? Do you know what time it is? If you end up waking my baby, I swea-”

His words died when he finally took notice of who was in front of him. Lotor raised a brow, unimpressed before pushing his way inside. “I apologize for the inconvenient hour, but as you’re aware, I have a rather busy schedule. It’s hard to find much time for myself.”

“Wha-?” Lance ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath and shutting the door. _“What_ are you doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m here to look over your living conditions and improve where it’s lacking.”

“Uh, last I checked, I’m _perfectly capable_ of deciding whether or not my home is cool with me or not.”

Lotor turned to him from where he was peeking into the bedroom. “You’re living in a crumbling, bare-bones apartment in a...seedy part of town.”

“That _I_ work to pay the rent for,” Lance growled, cocking his hip to the side and crossing his arms.

“I won’t allow it. I’ll get you a new place. Somewhere better.” The alpha’s nose wrinkled after checking out the tiny bathroom.

“I don’t want somewhere better! I happen to like it here,” Lance spat, “What I do want is for  _you_ to leave. _Now.”_

Lotor’s eyes narrowed before he advanced on the omega in long, confident strides. Lance’s arms dropped as he backed away, eyes growing wide. It wasn’t long before he was caged between Lotor and the wall near his couch. Lance kept his breathing slow and even, dropping his gaze off to the side. “I-I mean… _Please_ leave. You can come back later. It’s just that Mateo’s sleeping, and I really don’t want him to wake up. He’s just recently started sleeping through the nig-”

Lips touched his. The kiss was quick, and Lance would’ve missed it entirely had it not just cut off his speech. Lotor rumbled, “Are you near your heat, Omega?”

Thrown off by the sudden question, Lance asked dumbly, “What?”

“You smell…” Lotor leaned down and nuzzled the hollow of Lance’s throat, breathing in deep. His words came out low, “sweet.”

Shivering, a blush traveled up the back of the omega’s neck to his ears. “I… The um… The last time I had a heat was…”

Lotor lifted his head, eyes locked on his. “With me?”

Lance nodded slowly. Lotor took his hands in his and held them to his chest. A smile lifted the corners of his lips, and Lance was overcome by how achingly familiar it was. It was like an old, nearly-forgotten friend. It was a smile he thought was lost to the past: before the split; before the fighting; before the loneliness; before everything somehow went to shit between the two of them. He couldn’t deny that he missed how close they used to be. It used to be so good. Looking up at him, Lance could practically feel his own pupils dilating with want.

He wanted that familiarity. He wanted the security of an alpha that loves and needs him and can take care of him. Lotor had already proven before that he could provide, and he was _here,_ ready to do just that again. The omega didn’t even resist when Lotor cupped his jaw and pulled him into a deep, sensual kiss. He let his lips part under the alpha’s questing tongue, moaning into his mouth. Hands smoothed down his sides and teased the skin just beneath the hem of his t-shirt. He whined when their lips parted, and Lotor kissed along his jaw only to whisper in his ear, "Please, take me back. I'll do better. I won't leave you all alone again. I _swear._  I went crazy after you left. I couldn’t find you. I couldn’t smell you, but I could feel you. Through our bond. You were so lonely and hurting... I wanted to fix it. Comfort you. Show you how much I love you. I love you, Lance. I’d rather die than lose you again.”

Lance's heart beat faster at the sweet, quiet words. He inwardly keened, wanting nothing more in the moment than to submit. Those lips traveled back to his, teeth nipping at his bottom lip as hands squeezed his hips. Something nagged at the back of his mind however. Something didn’t feel right. These hands on him were too _warm._

 _Weren't they supposed to be cold? Wait…_ _Oh, god._ He really was near his heat. The omega sucked in a sharp breath, snapping out of his daze. He splayed his hands on Lotor’s chest only to shove him away. _“Out!”_

Lotor’s face fell slack in surprise as he stumbled back, “W-what?”

“I said get out.” Lance marched over to his front door and yanked it open, pointing outside. _“Now, get.”_

The alpha, surprisingly, made his way outside obediently after smoothing down his button-up. He turned around, mouth open to speak, but Lance cut him off. “I’m not your omega. You’re not my alpha. We’re through and have _been_ through. If you really want me to even _consider_ being yours again,-- which I doubt I will --stop using my biology against me.  _I hate it when you do that._  Also the next time you want to visit me or our son, text or call me first and only when it’s an acceptable hour. Now go home and let us sleep. Good night. Day. _Whatever.”_

With that, he shut the door firmly in Lotor’s face, making a point to lock it as loudly as he was able. He even used the chain for once. Once he heard Lotor’s footsteps descend the stairs, he heaved out the breath he was holding and leaned heavily against the door. He pressed a hand to his heart, an awful mix of anxiety and arousal fluttering in his core. He felt nothing short of absolutely  _fucked._


	16. Early Morning Talks

Shiny, black eyes stared unseeing, and Lance’s own tired blues stared right back. An oversized, blue stuffed cat had been sitting in front of his apartment door when he returned home from a long, midweek shift at work. Now, it sat on his couch, and Lance stood before it. His eyes glanced down to the envelope pinned to its chest. He wasn’t quite sure if he should open it or not. _What if it was from Lotor?_ Lotor used to get him gifts back when they were first dating. After a moment of hesitation, he snatched the blank envelope up and looked it over. Nothing. He frowned and ripped it open. His mouth twisted in confusion as he pulled a post-it note out of it. A phone number was printed neatly on the purple square.

Lance flipped it over, looking for a name only to find none. He pouted. At least, now he knew it definitely wasn’t from Lotor. He always made a point of letting Lance know when it was from him. Lance tucked the note back into the envelope and dropped it down onto the coffee table. He then picked up the giant cat and sniffed at it curiously. A shiver slid through him at finding the faint smell clinging to it to be rather pleasant. He breathed in deeper, pressing his face into the soft fur and hugging it closer. Warm giddiness pulsed through him, and before he knew it, he was grinning and bringing the stuffed animal into his bedroom. Meticulously, he tucked it into the partially-made nest on his bed, dragging one of Mateo's small blankets into the cat's lap. Once he was satisfied with its placement, he pulled his phone from his pocket and flopped down onto the pile, the toy bouncing with the movement.

Lance stared down at the phone in his hand, teeth worrying his lip. He skimmed through missed texts before he opened up his list of contacts. He scrolled through them slowly until he found the number he was looking for. His thumb hovered over the call button. All he needed to do was press it. It was just one tap of the screen away, yet it was the hardest thing to do. He wasn’t as certain he’d be able to pull off this plan now that he knew of his impending heat. It was due any day now. He sighed as his eyes trailed to the crib near his bed. From where he was, he could see Mateo’s sleeping face through the crib bars. The sight was all he needed to motivate himself.  They needed out of Lotor's pack, and this was the best idea he could come up with. Lance’s gaze returned to his phone. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the button and put the phone to his ear.

It rang.

And rang.

_And rang…_

And just when he was about to give up and go to sleep:

“Who is this?” a tired voice answered with a yawn, “Buddy, do you know what time it is? I’ve got work in a couple hours and too many mouths to feed. This better be pretty damn imp-”

Wincing, Lance glanced at the time on his phone. It was nearly three in the morning. _How did it get so late? Early? Who cares!_ “I know. I know! I’m sorry for waking you up, but it _is_ important. Rolo, I need your help.”

There was silence on the other end for a moment before: “Well, I’ll be damned! Is that Lance I’m hearing? Where have you been? Lotor went _crazy_ after you left, ya know. He kept lashing out at people, and I'm pretty sure I caught him crying once. But he denied that he was. Not sure if I belie-”

“Lance?!” Another voice came through the line, sounding farther away, before fumbling and shouting screamed straight into Lance’s ear. He winced and held the phone away until it quieted down. The other voice spoke again, much closer this time. “Lance, it’s so good to hear from you!”

A smile lifted the corner of Lance’s mouth. “It’s great to hear you too, Nyma.”

“Hey! What about me?!”

Lance laughed. “Yeah, yeah. It’s good to hear your voice too, man.”

A giggle came through the phone before Nyma teased. “It’s _great_ to hear me and only good to hear you.”

Rolo scoffed playfully. Lance cut in, “Seriously, guys. I need your help. You know where to find Sendak, right?”

“Well, _yeah._ He’s everyone’s pack alpha now.”

Lance blinked in surprise, sitting up as he continued listening.

“Oh, wait! You probably don’t know. Lemme catch you up to speed. So, Zarkon passed away about-- Four right, babe? Yeah! --four months ago,-- May he rest in peace. --and then Sendak kicked any and all challengers’ collective asses. And now, Sendak’s pack alpha.” Rolo laughed. “You should’ve seen the look on Lotor’s face after he went down! If looks could kill, _he’d_ be our alpha.”

“Sendak isn’t really the _greatest,_ but he’s doing alright for being, ya know, _Sendak_ ,” Nyma said, “Sorry to say that Lotor left along with some others, but it’d be nice to have you around again if you’re coming back.”

“Wait,” Lance mumbled, his mind whirling, “Lotor...didn’t win?”

“Nope. He put up a pretty good fight though,” Rolo confirmed.

Lance swallowed thickly, feeling his breathing hitch as anger rolled beneath his skin.  _Lotor lied._

“Anyway, you need to talk to Sendak or something? I can have him give you a call.”

“Actually, I’d really rather not give out this number to a lot of people. Can I get you guys to ask him to meet me somewhere instead?” Lance’s hand tightened around his phone.

“Uh...sure. When and where, bud?”

Lance thought for a moment before a sly grin slowly crossed his face, his anger alleviating as he mentally tweaked his plan to compensate. “Monday at four in front of the Castle of Lions?”

“That fancy pants restaurant by Laddie’s place? You’ve got it.”

“Thanks, guys. I owe you one.” Quick goodbyes were exchanged before Lance hung up.

Nervous excitement thrummed through him as he laid back down and began texting Hunk and Matt. He’d need time off work for his heat and someone to care for Mateo for up to a week. He was also thinking about maybe getting some of their stuff for his nest. The more comforting scents there were around him, the better. 

He glanced at the cat, his fingers slowing their taps on his phone screen. He wouldn’t mind getting more of that particular scent as well. His mind wandered back to the envelope that he had placed on his coffee table. Chewing on his lip, he rolled over the thought in his head before deciding:  _Why not?_

He slid off the bed and onto his feet, quietly making his way into the living room and sitting on the couch. He tugged the small square of paper back out of the envelope and copied the number into his phone. He momentarily debated on whether to call or text but ultimately decided on texting. It was way too late for a call as he learned from Rolo’s initial reaction to being woken up.

**Lance: heyy**

**Lance: thanks for the cat**

**Lance: i love it <3**

He dropped the paper back onto the table and went back to bed. As soon as he was snuggled back in his nest, he was surprised to find the number had already texted back.

**nice smelly smell: There's more where that came from ;)**

**nice smelly smell: Shouldn't you be asleep? It's pretty late**

**Lance: wat r u? my dad?**

**nice smelly smell: No**

**nice smelly smell: Sleep's important**

**nice smelly smell: That's all**

**Lance: says the one whos also up late**

**nice smelly smell: I'm at work. I have a reason to be up late.**

**Lance: yea yea ok w/e u say dad ill get some sleep**

Lance snorted in amusement, clicking off his phone and rolling onto his stomach. Tucking a pillow under his head, he closed his eyes and relaxed until sleep overtook him.


	17. Parting

“Daddy’s gonna miss you so so sosososoosososo so  _ so _ much,” Lance sniffled, rubbing his cheek against Mateo’s own. Mateo laughed, pushing at Lance’s face in an attempt to escape the onslaught of affection.

“Lance, you’re smothering him,” Allura cracked a smile from where she stood just on the other side of Lance’s front doorway. Despite Lance saying it was fine, she hadn’t been entirely comfortable as an alpha entering his home when he was in the beginnings of heat. 

“He’s never been away for longer than one of my shifts before, and now, he’s gonna be gone for a week!” Lance whined, tears in his eyes, “ _ An entire week!  _ I’m gonna miss him…”

Hunk patted his shoulder sympathetically. “We know, buddy, but it’s for the best. We’ll take good care of him.”

“I know you will,” Lance reluctantly handed Mateo over to him. Tears stung at his eyes as Hunk picked up the diaper bag the omega had packed. Hunk shouldered the bag and asked, “Are you gonna be okay by yourself?”

Lance rubbed the back of his neck as he replied, “I’ll be fine. I’m stocked up on granola bars and water, and Matt said he’d come check up on me from time to time.”

“I’ll make sure to send him with actual food when he does. You gave him a key?”

“Yeah,” Lance mumbled, eyes beginning to lose focus as his skin warmed considerably. A soft whine rose at the back of his throat. He squeezed his thighs tight together, feeling slick drip down them beneath the basketball shorts he was wearing.

Allura slapped a hand over her nose and took a step back. “We should go.”

Hunk picked up Mateo’s arm and waved it, mumbling, “Say bye-bye, Mateo. We’ll be back in a week.”

Lance waved back after a couple of blinks, his head clearing again. “Bye, mijito… I’m- I love you.”

“Da?” Mateo twisted to stare at Lance over Hunk’s shoulder as the beta turned to leave, his wide, cornflower eyes puzzled. 

The baby reached a hand out towards him, and Lance smiled sadly, feeling his heart squeeze at the sight. He heard his phone ding softly. Turning his head, his gaze left the two as he looked towards his room where he left the device. When he turned back, they were gone, the door already clicking shut behind them. He hugged himself before making his way to his nest on shaky legs.

Wiping tears out of his eyes, he picked up his phone. A text from Rolo was waiting. It simply read: 

**He’ll be there.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it has been so long??? i'm??? sorry????? and this is so short?? aj;faj;a;sklj
> 
> EDIT: oh also... for those that don't follow me on tumblr? i got a twitter @SilasWhispering and i spill a lot of the thoughts that cross my brain on there


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